[Closed] Privateer - why is it called "Privateer" ?

Why is what called Privateer?

It's used in the states to mean a non-sponsored rider which presumably is the target audience and then iirc it's independently owned so I'm assuming that's part of it to. Sent me to sleep unfortunately.

Ooh, it's a magazine 🙄

Never heard of it, and given clubber's post I'm not sure I'll bother searching it out.

It's a mag which only comes out a handful of times per year, costs more than your normal rag, and is considered rather niche...

Monthly soon IIRC.

Coz they iz pirates aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhh.............

Has to do with, as my kids say, the "olden days" when pirates ruled the high seas. Don't blame us Americans - to my (VERY limited) knowledge England started the use of privateers. Privateers were the 17th and 18th centuries' equivalents of mercenaries - they didn't fall under normal military chains of command (analogous to Team Management in the cycling parlance), financed themselves, and could thus take 100% (minus taxes) of the spoils. Very apt in the racing usage...

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer ]Original meaning: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer [/url]

Also used in motor racing to mean the teams without factory support, buying their kit from the main manufacturers, funded by team sponsors.

And a lovely Bontrager frame.

Edit: beat me to it!

'cos private-eye was already taken

[i]'cos private-eye was already taken [/i]

and they're more into listening than watching?

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privateer[/url]

Not that I'm saying it's piratical, or owt. 😉